As the day unfolded, the gatekeeper noticed the revered sage Markandeya standing at the entrance. Without delay, he informed King Yudhishthira, saying, “Markandeya wishes to see you; the sage stands at the door.” Hearing this, Dharmaputra hurried to the gate. Yudhishthira greeted the sage with deep reverence: “Welcome, O highly fortunate one! Welcome, O great sage! Today my birth is truly fruitful; today my lineage is redeemed. My ancestors are surely pleased to see you, O great sage. By beholding you, I feel purified in body.” With heartfelt respect, Yudhishthira led Markandeya inside, seating him upon the throne and honoring him with traditional rites, including the washing of his feet. Pleased by this reception and worship, Markandeya addressed the king: “Tell me quickly, O king, what troubles you? Why do you weep? What causes your distress and displeasure?” Yudhishthira replied, “O great sage, the events that have befallen us for the sake of the kingdom have left me anxious.” Hearing this, Markandeya spoke words of wisdom: “Listen, O king of mighty arms, to the established law of warriors: No sin is found in battle for the wise who fight. Especially for a king, for a Kshatriya, this holds true. So, keep your heart firm and do not grieve over sin.” King Yudhishthira, bowing his head in humility, then asked Markandeya about the destruction of all sins. “O great wise one, who sees the three worlds, tell me briefly by what means one is freed from sin.” Markandeya replied, “Hear, O king of mighty arms, about the destruction of all sins: the best journey for men of virtuous deeds is to Prayaga.” Yudhishthira’s curiosity deepened. “O Lord, I wish to hear as it was in the ancient cycle, as spoken by Brahma, chief among the gods, and narrated properly by you, O sage. How do people go to Prayaga? What is the fate of those who die there? What is the result for those who bathe there? What is the result for those who dwell in Prayaga? Explain all this to me, for I am eager to know.” Markandeya answered warmly, “I shall tell you, dear one, the supreme result there, as I once heard it recited among all the Brahmins in ancient times. From Prayaga to Pratishthana, from the city to Vasuki’s lake, between Kambala and Ashvatara, and the serpent Bahumulaka—this is the field of Prajapati, renowned in the three worlds. Those who bathe there ascend to heaven; those who die there do not return to birth. Therefore, Brahma and the other gods gather to protect this place. “There are many holy places, auspicious and destroyers of all sins, O king, but they cannot be described even in hundreds of years. I shall briefly recount the glory of Prayaga. Sixty thousand bows guard the Ganges, and the Sun, with his seven steeds, always protects the Yamuna. Indra especially always protects Prayaga, and Hari, together with the gods, guards the sacred precinct. Shiva, the wielder of the trident, always protects that banyan tree; the gods protect that place, which is auspicious and destroys all sins. “The world, enveloped in unrighteousness, does not attain that state; but even the smallest sin of one who remembers Prayaga, O king, is entirely destroyed. By seeing that holy place, by merely uttering its name, or by taking up its earth, a person is freed from sin. Among the five pools there, the Ganges is in the middle; at the entrance to Prayaga, sin is destroyed instantly. Even at a thousand leagues’ distance, by remembering the Ganges, a person—even one who has committed evil deeds—attains the highest state. By praising her, one is freed from sin; by seeing her, one beholds auspicious things; by bathing and drinking, one purifies up to the seventh generation of one’s family. “One who speaks truth, has conquered anger, is established in nonviolence, follows righteousness, knows reality, and delights in the welfare of cows and Brahmins—if such a person bathes between the Ganges and Yamuna, he is freed from sin; whatever desires he contemplates in mind, he obtains them in abundance. Then, going to Prayaga, protected by all the gods, a celibate should dwell there for a month and offer oblations to ancestors and gods; wherever he is born, he attains his desired wishes. “The goddess, daughter of the Sun and renowned in the three worlds, the blessed Yamuna, flows there; and there, Lord Maheshvara is always present in person. O Yudhishthira, Prayaga is a sacred place difficult for humans to attain; gods, demons, gandharvas, sages, siddhas, and charanas, after bathing there, dwell in the heavenly realms. “Hear again, O king, the greatness of Prayaga; by hearing this, one is freed from all sins—of this there is no doubt. For those who are afflicted, poor, or steadfast in resolve, Prayaga is declared as the place; it should never be spoken of lightly. Whether diseased, distressed, or aged, if a man gives up his life between the Ganga and Yamuna, he plays in heaven among gandharvas and apsaras, in radiant aerial chariots shining like gold and the sun. He obtains all desired enjoyments, say the foremost sages, in celestial abodes adorned with all kinds of jewels, filled with many banners, surrounded by beautiful women with auspicious marks, delighting in their company. “Awakened by the sounds of singing and music, he enjoys honor in heaven until he forgets his birth. Then, fallen from heaven when his merit is exhausted, he is born in a prosperous family filled with gold and jewels; he remembers that holy place, and by recalling it, he goes there again. Whether in his own land, in the forest, abroad, or at home, whoever departs remembering Prayaga attains the world of Brahma, say the foremost sages. He goes to that world where the trees grant all desires, the earth is golden, and sages, ascetics, and perfected beings dwell.” Thus, Markandeya revealed to Yudhishthira the supreme glory and sanctity of Prayaga, the field of Prajapati, cherished and protected by the gods, a place where all sins are destroyed and where the virtuous attain celestial realms and ultimate liberation.